LIVERPOOL, England — Amad Diallo made a significant impact late in the match, scoring a crucial equalizer that allowed Manchester United to draw 2-2 with Premier League front-runners Liverpool on Sunday. The forward found the net from Alejandro Garnacho’s cross in the 80th minute at Anfield, just after Mohamed Salah’s penalty had given Liverpool a temporary lead.
Diallo previously made headlines during an FA Cup match last season, where he scored a late winner against Liverpool, and most recently, he secured a dramatic victory against Manchester City with a goal shortly before full-time. While his late strike against Liverpool on Sunday only gained a point for United, it ended a four-match losing streak and kept Liverpool from extending its lead to eight points atop the Premier League.
Despite this slight improvement, United’s head coach, Ruben Amorim, expressed dissatisfaction with the team’s performance. “It’s a point, and a deserved point, but still just one, and we should be frustrated. Today, we should feel really let down,” he commented after the match.
United opened the scoring with a goal from Lisandro Martinez in the 52nd minute, but Liverpool responded through Cody Gakpo just seven minutes later. Salah then put Liverpool ahead with a penalty in the 70th minute after a handball by Matthijs de Ligt. The draw elevated United to 13th place in the league standings.
Liverpool, meanwhile, missed a chance to stretch their lead over second-placed Arsenal, who drew 1-1 against Brighton on Saturday. Despite the draw, Liverpool remains six points in front at the top with a game in hand. Liverpool’s head coach, Arne Slot, reflected on the match, stating, “Throughout the game, we created more chances than they did; taking a point feels like a small win, but upon review, I was hoping for more.”
The match marked United’s continued struggle at Anfield, where they have not secured a victory since 2016, with the streak now extending to nine matches across all competitions. Nevertheless, this point serves as a first for Amorim’s squad since their December 15 victory over Manchester City.
Opportunities for both teams arose in the dying minutes, with Harry Maguire missing a chance for United and Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk seeing his headed effort saved by goalkeeper Andre Onana.
With a total of 39 top-flight titles between them, this encounter showcased the rich history and rivalry of two of England’s most successful football clubs. Liverpool aimed to equal United’s record of 20 league championships this season and could have solidified their position in the title race with a win at home.
However, United defied expectations, dominating possession and creating better chances compared to their recent form, leaving Amorim contemplating the team’s fight for survival in the league. Captain Bruno Fernandes acknowledged, “We’ve been rightfully criticized for our league position. The result reflects a fair match as both teams played quality football. However, we shouldn’t settle for this. We should be upset because if we can perform like this against Liverpool, we need to deliver consistently every week.”
In another match, Raul Jimenez converted a penalty in the first minute of stoppage time for Fulham, earning a 2-2 draw against Ipswich. Jimenez’s second penalty of the game came after Fulham had twice pulled even after going behind. Ipswich initially took the lead through Sam Szmodics, then regained it with a penalty from Liam Delap. However, Jimenez’s late goal bolstered Fulham to ninth place, still six points shy of the top four, while Ipswich sits in 18th place, struggling dangerously close to relegation.
